October 2, 2007

LAURINBURG, N.C.—The Mount Olive College volleyball team prevented host St. Andrews Presbyterian College from sweeping the Conference Carolinas regular-season series by pulling out a close 28-30, 30-23, 30-22, 22-30, 15-8 five-game victory in Harris Court Tuesday night.

The Lady Trojans, who boast a 5-1 record in five-game matches, improved to 11-9 overall and 7-2 in the conference. The Knights, who defeated Mount Olive 3-1 on September 5, hold a 9-14 overall and 8-4 league ledger.

Both teams held five-point leads in the first game but each time the other squad rallied back. The opening game was deadlocked at 25-25, when St. Andrews went on a 3-0 run to take a late 28-25. Mount Olive battled back with their own 3-0 run to knot everything back at 28 apiece. Senior Tara Lemieux (Panama City, Fla.) set the Knights up with game-point with a kill and sophomore Galina Podolsky (Raleigh, N.C.) ended the game on the ensuing play with a block to give the hosts a victorious first game.

MOC broke a 16-16 tie in the second frame with a 4-0 run to take a lead they would never relinquish. The Trojans built an eight-point lead and evened the match eventually with the 30-23 win. Mount Olive once again pulled away from the Knights midway through the third with a 10-2 run to take a commanding 27-19 advantage. The Trojans maintained the same eight-point lead and sophomore Racey Bartley (Jacksonville, N.C.), who leads the conference in blocks per game, stopped the third with a solo block at 30-22.

Trailing two games to one and 16-13 in the fourth, St. Andrews rallied fought back with their backs against the wall. The Knights went on a 12-4 run to catapult into a 25-20 lead. The Knights went on to tie the match with the eight-point win and force the decisive fifth.

Senior Lindsey Stansbury (Morgan City, La.) led the Knights with 15 kills and three service aces. Williams provided 14 kills and three aces while Lemieux had a team-high 23 digs. Sophomore setter Jaime Hayes (Gulf Breeze, Fla.) chipped in with 45 assists and 17 digs. Senior Erin Haugen (Ft. Mill, S.C.) scooped up 16 digs and Podolsky made three blocks.

After thee two teams swapped the first 12 points of the fifth, Mount Olive broke away with a 6-1 run to take control at 12-7. Bartley -- who finished the evening with 15 kills, eight blocks, and two aces -- ended the match with a spike.

Senior Sam Mitchell (Boyd, Wis.) led the visitors with 18 kills and 17 digs. Sophomore Joanie Werling (Purcelleville, Va.) added 36 assists, 12 digs, and six blocks while junior Mallory Peavler (Loda, Ill.) had a team-high 18 digs. Junior Corie Skislak (Gulf Breeze, Fla.) chipped in with 11 kills and four blocks.

St. Andrews travels to Misenheimer, N.C. for a Conference Carolinas showdown against Pfeiffer University on Saturday at 2:00 p.m.